These Are The Things
by dreamerslikeus
Summary: 6 reasons Rachel fell for Puck during summer vacation...


A/N: This is fluff.. I wrote fluff..

**These Are the Things **

** or (6 reasons Rachel falls for Puck during Summer Break)**

* * *

><p><strong>I. <strong>**He makes her smile**

She breaks up with Finn two weeks after summer vacation begins, and takes a job babysitting Eliana Puckerman two days after that. She's already watches Sam's siblings twice a week at night, but she refuses to take pay for that job. Watching the younger Puckerman however, is a way to help save money for her move to New York.

She's watching Eliana one morning when Noah comes bounding down the stairs and stops just short of the door.

"You mean that kid hasn't tied you to a chair yet?" He asks with a smirk.

"Not yet," Eliana chimes in from her spot in the floor as she grabs the remote and flips the channel, "But if I have to hear about New York one more time…"

"Eliana!" Rachel exclaims.

"Shut it brat," Puck offers up. "Ma could have gotten Mrs. Thomas down the street to watch you again this summer. Be glad she got someone as cool as Rachel."

Rachel can't help but smile at Noah's words, "You think I'm cool?" She asks.

"Cooler than Mrs. Thomas," he smirks. "Nah, you're alright B, grow on me a little more everyday," he laughs.

"Thanks… I think?"

"Yeah, it's all good," he nods. "Anyway I gotta get to work. Burt's cool and all but he's pretty big on being on time."

"Of course," Rachel smiles. "Do you like working for Mr. Hummel?"

"Guess so," he shrugs. "Kinda sucks that I had to give up the pool gig this summer, but you know, those older chicks are kinda tempting and I'm working on all that growing crap," he shrugs.

"Personally I like the new Noah, this new maturity of yours only enhances your personality." Rachel tells him.

"That mean you think I'm hotter now?" He grins.

Rachel can't help but blush as the comment, "I don't believe that's what I said."

"Nah, but that's what I heard," Noah speaks leaning against the doorframe.

"You're incorrigible Noah," Rachel speaks with a tiny smile.

"Got that right," he nods. "And don't think I don't know what all your big words mean. Unlike Finn, I actually know how to use a dictionary."

"Noah, I'm aware that you have an above average vocabulary," Rachel smiles. "I realize you tried to hide it to protect your rep, but I have noticed it on more than one occasion."

"Yeah? Good to know."

"You two are kinda gross," Eliana speaks looking up at them. "Do that kinda stuff somewhere else, so I can watch my show," she adds rolling her eyes.

Rachel watches as Noah lets out a snort, "Did the brat just tell us to get a room?"

"I think she did," Rachel frowns. "I'm not sure if I should be amused or appalled…"

"Eh, kinda funny if you ask me. The kid is good like that though, better watch her this summer, she's a handful."

"I think I can handle her," Rachel just nods.

"Yeah?" Noah speaks leaning forward, "You think you handle _me_?"

"Ugh Noahhh! Stop flirting and go to work," Eliana grumbles. "You're _so_ annoying!"

Rachel watches as Noah rolls his eyes at his sister, "I won't be mad if you have _her_ tied up when I get home tonight," he says looking back over at Rachel. "Kid is way to smart for her own good sometimes. Anyway, see you later B."

"Bye Noah, have a good day at work!"

"You know Rach, I think I just might," he smiles as he walks out the door. She realizes as she hears him get in his car, this is the most she has smiled in weeks. Breaking up with Finn was hard, but for some reason talking to Noah, always makes her feel good. She doesn't quite understand it, but she does know that she likes it.

* * *

><p><strong>II. <strong>**He's full of surprises**

She takes Eliana to the park one Friday, because they both are getting tired of being stuck in the house. She's sitting in a swing watching Eliana play with some of friends when she feels two hands grab the swing behind her. She's in the air before she can say anything and when the swing starts to slow down she realizes Noah is standing to her side laughing.

"Sup Rach?"

"Noah Puckerman!" She speaks as he grabs the chain of the swing and brings it to a stop.

"Sorry 'bout that, just couldn't help myself."

She jumps out of the swing and lets out a huff, "What are you doing here?"

"Got off work early today and went home to tell you I could handle Elli for the rest of the day, but you weren't there. Then I found that long note you left Ma on the fridge…."

"You didn't have to come find us," Rachel smiles. "We were just tired of being in the house, so we decided it was a nice day for the park."

"Yeah the kid loves this place," Noah nods.

Rachel looks up at him and smiles brightly, "Yes, she told me you bring her here often."

"Yeah well, like you said can't stay in the house all the time," Noah shrugs, "It's no big deal."

"Being a good big brother is a very big deal Noah."

She watches as he drops his head, "I dunno about all that. The kid just needs someone around sometimes," he shrugs.

"She told me you take her to the arcade every Thursday night. That sounds like an excellent brother to me."

"Yeah well I like the arcade," he smiles, "And Elli likes to tag along so whatever, it's not a big deal."

"She's lucky to have you."

"B, have you met me?" Noah snorts. "I'm not exactly a role model."

She just smiles at him, "I disagree."

"You would."

"You are a great guy Noah, but if you'd like I'll try to keep it secret."

"You better, people start hearing I'm soft and it'd totally ruin me."

"I don't know about that," Rachel shrugs. "I would have loved to have had a big brother that took me to the park and arcade," Rachel smiles.

"Yeah? Your dads took you didn't they?"

"Oh to the park yes," Rachel nods. "But I've never been to an arcade or anything similar actually."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah Noah, seriously. You can add it to the list of things I never did as a child," she sighs.

He just stares at her for a moment before he drapes his arm around her shoulders and smiles down at her, "Well maybe one Thursday night if Elli don't care, you can go with us."

"Oh I could never intrude on your time with Eliana."

"It's no big deal."

"I think it might be to your sister," Rachel speaks.

"Fine, then we'll go one night without her," he says. "I'm sure you've got a Friday or Saturday night opened in your schedule," he adds with a smirk.

"Well yes but…"

"Then it's settled." He speaks before she can finished. "Seriously Rachel, you need to do some normal crap before you head off to New York to be a star."

"I suppose you're right…"

"I'm always right."

"You can be so full of yourself sometimes…"

"All the time," he corrects pulling her a little closer.

"Yes, all the time."

"But you like it B, just admit it..."

She looks up at him and sees his eyes twinkling and she can't help but smile, "I suppose _sometimes_ I find your self confidence appealing."

"Makes you want me don't it?" He winks.

"Noah!"

"Just messin' with you Rachel," he laughs. "C'mon lets go get Elli and get outta here. I'm starving and I know there's gotta be somewhere around here you can actually eat at…"

"Well yes of course," she smiles.

"Good, I'll buy if you don't go all highest thing on the menu on me," he tells her.

"I think I can handle that," Rachel nods.

"You better or your buying," he jokes.

She just smiles at him, because just when she thinks she has Noah Puckerman figured out, she realizes there is so much more to him than anyone knows.

* * *

><p><strong>III. <strong>**She likes his brand of honesty**

She doesn't realize she's spending so much time with Noah until Kurt points it out to her one day. Still, she finds that she's enjoying Noah's company more and more, and it's nice to have someone to hang out with this summer. Mercedes seems to always be busy, and Kurt is always with Blaine, so having Noah to do things with makes the summer much better.

They are sitting on his bed one afternoon and he's strumming his guitar singing someone Goo Goo Dolls song that he declares is 'freaking awesome.'

"So yeah, we should totally do this one next year," he smirks looking over at her. "Bring someone new to the table."

"Isn't that song rather old?" She asks.

"Maybe, but the sound would be new," he shrugs.

"Noah, can I ask you something?" She speaks. "It's a rather random question…"

"B, if you want my body just say so," he smirks.

"I'm being serious," she sighs.

"So am I."

"What happened between you and Lauren? No one seems to know, and considering all the time you spend with me and the guys I'm assuming it's over?"

"Yeah, we just decided it wasn't workin'," he shrugs. "Never really went into anything too deep anyway."

"You seemed to really care about you," Rachel frowns.

"Thought I did, and the chick is as cool as they come, but I dunno guess I decided I didn't want someone that was more hardcore that I am," he smirks. "Whatever, we ended a couple days before you dumped Finn. Just didn't figure no one cared."

"I see, I guess I was so wrapped up in my own breakup that I didn't realize what had happened until later," Rachel frowns.

"Yeah, so you really over the whole Finn thing now?" He asks.

She drops her head, "Yes, I just couldn't date someone that I know I don't have a future with. I'm leaving for New York after graduation and he's staying here, so it just seemed pointless when I stepped back and looked at things."

"That's real mature of you B."

"Doesn't mean it was easy."

She watches as Noah sits his guitar down carefully and then gently slides over closer to her. He wraps his arm around her and smiles, "You did the right thing. You're gonna be a star someday, and you better not let anyone keep you from that."

"I won't."

"Yeah, but the way you looked at Finn? He totally could have held you back, and that would just suck."

"I hated to hurt him."

"Better to do it now than months down the road," Noah shrugs. "Look if it makes you feel any better, Hudson was bound to screw everything up sooner or later anyway. I mean the guy is like my brother but when he comes to relationships he's kinda a tool."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Rachel asks.

"Just callin' it like I see it."

"I'm glad you're in my life Noah," she speaks.

"Okay seriously, you start going all girl on me right now and I'm gonna have to kick you out," he grins.

She stares at him, at his sparkling eyes, and she bites her lip for a moment before leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for being real with me Noah. You're one of the few people that I actually trust."

"Yeah well, you know, whatever," he mutters. "So are we gonna sing or what?" He finally says looking back at her.

"Yes, of course." She smiles up at him. "Let's try that Goo Goo Dolls song again, it's starting to grow on me," she adds watching as his eyes beam at her words. It's going to be a great summer, if Rachel ever doubted it before, she knows it now.

* * *

><p><strong>IV.<strong>**He's there for her**

She goes to Mike's birthday party with Noah one Friday night, because he tells her she has no other option. Everyone else from the glee club is going to be there, and apparently, she has no choice in the matter. The truth is she's nervous about seeing Finn again, because so far she has managed to avoid him since the breakup.

They are still sitting in Noah's car when Rachel lets out a sigh, "This is a bad idea."

"No, that shirt is a bad idea."

Rachel stares down at her red tank top with the large Siamese cat on the front and frowns, "I thought you said you liked this shirt?"

"I said I liked that there's not much of it, big difference," Noah smirks as they both get of out the car.

Rachel takes a deep breath as she looks up toward Mike's house and suddenly she freezes. "Oh," she speaks softly as Noah walks over to her side.

"What?" He asks but all she can do is stare at the couple on Mike's porch making out.

"That." She swallows pointing her finger to the porch.

"What the…" Noah starts just as the couple pulls apart. "Brittany and Finn? No freaking way."

Rachel just nods as she watches Brittany and Finn walk into the house. "Kurt told me he thought Finn was seeing someone, but I never would have thought it was Brittany."

Before she can say anything else she feels Noah's arm wrap around her, "You okay? Cause we can head back to your house if you want…"

"I don't know…" She begins looking up at him. "I mean I know that I'm done with Finn, but seeing him with _Brittany_, it just shook me up I think."

"That's cause it's insane," Noah snorts. "Look, let's just go back to your house and watch one of those cheesy movies you like."

"Is that what you would do?"

"Rachel, do you know me? I'd go in that place and act like it didn't even faze me, but whatever, that's just me."

She stares at the door then back at Noah, "Let's go in."

"You sure about this?" Noah asks.

"Yes, Finn and I are over, and he is free to date whoever he likes. Just like I'm allowed to go to a party with you," she smiles.

"Well then," Noah smirks. "Let's do this."

She smiles brightly up at Noah and then throws her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly for a moment. "Thank you for being you Noah."

His arms pull her close and she can feel his head rest against her shoulder, "You're not to bad yourself Rach."

When she pulls away from his he sticks his hand out to her and she takes it without question. "Maybe tomorrow night we could watch those _cheesy_ movies that I like?" She asks with a smirk.

"Can we watch them alone in your basement?" He asks with a grin.

"Don't push it Puckerman," she giggles.

"Can we at least close your bedroom door?"

"Noah!"

"Fine!"

She takes a tiny breath, lets it out, and realizes that with her hand in his, she's not even nervous about what she's going to face once she walks into Mike's house. She's not sure what that means, but it's a good feeling to have.

* * *

><p><strong>V. <strong>**He listens when she talks**

They're in her bedroom two weeks after Mike's party trying to find something to watch on television. Noah is sitting in her floor going through all her DVD's and she's sitting on the bed checking her Facebook.

"I still can't believe you watch Gossip Girl," he snickers looking up at her. "Or that you have every freakin' season on DVD."

"It's one of my few guilty pleasures…" She shrugs.

"Because Nate is cute and Blair used to be awesome?" He asks with a smirk.

"Well yes, but how…"

"You told me once," he speaks. "When we dated or something. Blair let you down in later seasons because she became all about that one dude," he adds with a shrug.

"I can't believe you remembered that," Rachel says and she knows her mouth is slightly gapped but she's just…amazed."

"Yeah well, I'm just good like that."

"What else do you remember?" She asks Noah. "From when we dated."

"It was only like a week B, not a lot to remember," Noah shrugs standing up and walking over to sit on the bed. "You're taste in movies and television is crap by the way," he adds with a snort.

She ignores his comment, "Sometimes I think I shouldn't have ended things with you so soon."

"We were both all kinds of screwed up then," Noah shrugs. "Quinn and Finn had us seriously messed up."

"That's true."

"You were still a pretty awesome girlfriend though," Noah says looking over at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean you baked for me, and actually let me talk sometimes, plus you've got the whole kissing thing down to a science…Except for the biting," he smirks, "Which can be totally hot sometimes."

She feels her cheeks grown warm, "You were a good boyfriend."

"Best boyfriend you've ever had," Noah says smugly.

"Well actually yes," Rachel speaks slowly, "I do believe you were. I mean as much as I cared about Finn he never really understood me, and while Jesse understood me, he cared too much about himself."

"Plus those two losers will never have guns like mine," Noah smirks.

"I think we've established that they are very lovely guns Noah," Rachel smiles. "Did you find a movie you'd like to watch?"

"In that stack, no." Puck laughs.

"So what do you want to do?"

He arches his eye at her and inches close to her, "Well I have a few ideas…"

"Noah," she whispers.

"Yeah?"

"You really think I'm a good kisser?" She asks still just inches from his face.

"Freaking awesome."

She doesn't say anything else because her lips are on Noah's before she even thinks about it. This time when he wraps her arms around him, no thoughts of Finn and what could have been enter her mind. She doesn't know where this is going but for now she's okay with that.

* * *

><p><strong>VI. <strong>**He's everything she needs**

She's in the Puckerman living room one day, cleaning up the orange juice that Eliana had managed to spill all over the coffee table, when a group of papers catch her attention. Rachel knows she can be nosy, but she can't help it. She sees the words 'New York' scribbled across the front of one of the papers, and she just automatically picks it up.

"Eliana what's this?" She asks the little girl standing to her right.

"That's some college junk Noah's been looking at." She shrugs.

"New York?"

"Yeah, he told mom New York was awesome but I think he just wants to go 'cause you're going."

"Wait, me?"

The little girl rolls her eyes in annoyance, "You're with him like all the time, so you're like his girlfriend right? 'Cause Claira's sister told her that guys and girls can't be friends cause their guys and girls and it just don't work like that."

She stares at Eliana because she's actually confused at everything she has just heard, "I'm not his girlfriend Eliana."

"Then why is he always with you? And you're the only girl he _ever_ talks about. Plus you always giggle around him and he's always hugging you or whatever, so that _has_ to make you his girlfriend."

"I think you're confused."

"No I'm not." Eliana shrugs as she runs off to the kitchen.

Rachel stares at the papers in her hands and smiles. Listed is college after college in New York that might accept someone with Noah's grades. She shakes her head in amazement just as the front door opens and Noah walks in.

"Sup B?" He calls out looking over at her with a smile.

"New York?" She asks holding up the papers.

"How'd you find those?" He asks startled.

"Eliana spilled her drink near them. Noah, she says you want to go to college in New York…"

"Just looking at my options Rach," He shrugs. "Turns out there are a few colleges in New York I might actually have a shot at getting into."

"Well yes, but if you were interested in going why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you…"

"I didn't want to say anything until I had totally decided what I was doing," he shrugs. "Look it's no big deal."

She walks over to him and stares up at him, "Eliana thinks you want to go to New York because of me."

"Elli thinks too much, kid needs to load her brain up on more TV or something."

"Noah…" She speaks taking his hand.

"Rachel it's nothing okay? Did you look at all that info? I'm looking at colleges all over the place."

Rachel stares down at the papers in her hand and frowns. "Oh."

"Hey look," he speaks staring down at her, "If I go to New York there's a chance you might be one of the reasons," he shrugs.

"Really?"

"It's weird okay? But this summer has been freakin' awesome, and I guess you're kinda the reason," he shrugs. "So yeah, I thought with the way things had been going, maybe I should look into colleges in New York. I know it sounds crazy 'cause we're not like together and you probably think I'm some weird stalker dude now but…"

"You'd go to New York with me?"

"Rachel…"

"You'd go to New York with me." She says this time as a statement.

"If we were together yeah…" He nods.

"You've thought about all of this? Like really thought it through?" Rachel asks.

"You really think I'd let a girl of mine head off to New York without me?" He smirks. "No way."

"You want me to be your girl?" She says smiling brightly.

"Do you realize we sound like some 50's sitcom right now?" He jokes. "I'm not going to ask if I can pin you, or if you want to go steady," he smirks.

"You've been watching _Leave it to Beaver _with your mother again haven't you?" Rachel jokes.

"Shut up, the Beav is kinda funny sometimes…"

"You've been the best thing about my summer too Noah," Rachel smiles. "And I can't imagine spending my senior year of high school with anyone else."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then shouldn't we be making out or something right now? Cause we're wasting a lot of time doing all this talking crap…"

She just laughs as he pulls her to him and kisses her. She wraps her arms around his neck as he pulls her closer and lets out a content sigh.

"I told you he was your boyfriend!" She hears Eliana yell in the background. "Seriously, that's _so_ gross!"

Rachel laughs against Noah as he lets out an annoyed groan, "What time is Ma getting home?" He mutters in her ear.

"In about an hour…"

"Think we can lock the kid in her room till' then?" He grumbles.

"Noah…" Rachel starts and then she smiles, "I could however put her favorite movie on in her bedroom."

"I like the way you think babe." Noah smirks.

She just smiles up at him as she reluctantly pulls out of his grasp. She's going to have an amazing senior year, how can she not with a boyfriend like Noah?


End file.
